A Note on the Fourier Series Model for Analysing Line Transect Data

The Fourier series model offers a powerful procedure for the estimation of animal population density from line transect data. The estimate is reliable over a wide range of detection functions. In contrast, analytic confidence intervals yield, at best, 90% confidence for nominal 95% intervals. Three solutions, one using Monte Carlo techniques, another making direct use of replicate lines and the third based on the jackknife method, are discussed and compared.